Spring hinge



Oct. 18, 1932. G. BOMMER 1,883,506

- SPRING HINGE Filed June 11, 1951 Eng 11 22 30 13 29 I \6 z a? Z5 5 ,v 16 K St? vs 14 39 33 0 12 Q 37 $912! iii I I 16' 1f 1 11 15 ll 12 15 31 NCM' 5 INVENTOR. 21 z Gustav Bommen Patented a. is; 1932 o UNITED s-TATES PATENT oFFlc-ET GUSTAV 'IBOMMER, on BitooirLYnnEw YORK, ASSIGNOR To EMIL BOMMER, or I rnaooxnrn'nnwyonx I i V o v SPRING Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to a door hinge, the invention being more particularly related to a hinge of the type wherein a spiral spring is encased in a barrel, and anchored to a tensioning collar or thelike adapted to be turn-ed for the purpose. of tensioning the spring. 1

In hanging. doors, workmen experiencemuch difliculty in Winding or tensioni'ng the 10 springs in the hinges; This is particularly true with-respect to the type of hinges where-- in the springs, encased by the hinge barrels, are concealedfroin view. These springs are frequently and unwittingly wound in the wrong direction, the tensioning collars being turned in a direction counter to the windingof the spiral coils of the spring; The result of such counter winding,'if carried too far, as is often the case, is to expand the spiral coils outwardly, thereby distorting the,

end of the spring and rendering it inoperative, and at' times breaking or bursting the encasing barrel by the pressure exerted from within. v h

According to my present invention,ithe. terminal portion of the spiral spring, instead of being anchored so that it is carried along with the counter turning movement of the tensioning collar, slides on a cam portion on the collar during the counter turning so that as soon as the collar is given a full counter turn, the hook and portion of the spring will snap back into normal unwound position. Whenthe hook and the spring portion snaps hack into normal position, a sharp clicking noise is'produced, and this sharp noise serves notice upon the workman that an attempt has been made to tension the springin the wrong direction. i The object of the present invention is to i provide, for those engaged in hanging doors, an improved'hi-nge having, improved means whereby to tension the concealed spiral spring, the improvements relating to a novel vent any distorting ofthe end of the spring and consequently any breaking or bursting left-hand device, accordingly as the spiral ployedin the hinge, one for each terminal y shown in Fig. 1; tensioning collar which will positively pre- HINGE 1931. Serial No, 543,580.

positively make known'the act of counter winding. j

The tensioning collar of my invention may be made either as a right-hand device or as a coils of the spring are wound for tensioning in a direction to the right or in a direction to the left. According to a feature of my invention, if two tensioning collars are emof the spiral spring, the tensioning collar for one of the terminals is inverted with respect to the tensioning collar for the other terininal Asflthe counter winding at one end of the spring is naturally in a direction opposite to that at the other, end (since to wind a'spiral spring atone end requires a movement in a direction opposite to that-for winding it at the opposite end), the inverted or upside 'down position of one of the two 7 collars "with respect to the other makes proper provision for the opposite counter winding movements at the two ends of the spring, thereby avoiding at either'end any damage to the barrel by reason of counter winding. h

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and relative arrangement of parts so combined-as to coact and cooperate with each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results hercin'contemplated, and comprises in its evolvement the simple and practical eX-. amples illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in invention;

, Fig. 2 represents an enlarged perspective view of my improved tens oning collar Fig. 3 is an underneath plan View of the ,deviceshown in Fig. 2 in association with a spiral spring illustrated'in -dot dash lines;

Fig, 4 is a fragmentary central vertical section of the parts shown in" Fig.1, this 10o i the barrel.

view snowing a spring wound in the right direction and held in tension by a pin applied to the tensioning collar;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, showing a tensioning collar having parts reversely cut for use with a spiral spring wound reversely to that shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a door hinge in which the type of tensioning collar shown in Fig. 1 is applied in inverted position to the lower terminal portion of'the spiral spring. 7

Referring with more particularity to the accompanying drawing,the numeral 10 denotes a hinge barrel produced with a leaf 11, while the numeral 12 denotes an opposite leaf which is produced with upper and lower hinge ears 13 and 14 adapted to be positioned at the upper and lower ends respectively of 15 is. a hinge pin which is passed through the hinge ears and barrel for connecting the same in the usual way; and 1G is a spiral spring which is encased by the barrel and surrounds the hinge pin. At the lower end of the barrel is positioned an enchoring body 17 the head of which is disposed between the lower end of the barrel and the hinge ear 14. In the anchoring body there is provided an open notch 19 which receives therein the hookportion 20 of the spring. All of these parts may be of any well known or approved construction.

As the opposite or upper end of the hinge barrel there is provided a tensioning body or collar, designated in general by the numeral 21 and including a head portion 22, a reduced intermediate portion 23 and a further reduced inner end portion 24. This body is applied to the hinge barrel so that the head 22 fits between the hinge car 13' and a washer element 25 at the end of thehinge barrel and which surrounds the intermediate portion 23. The washer; element, however, may be omitted. The reduced portion 24 projects into the barrel and is provided with an open notch 26 for receiving therein the bent upper hook port on 27 of'the spring. The anchoring body 1;? and the tensioning collar 21 are both mounted upon the hinge pin; and the anchoring body is, of course, secured to thecasing in a stationary position in the usual manner, as, for instance, by a pin 28. The head 22 of the tensioning-body is provided withthe usual spaced apart; openings 29, designed to receive the end of a tool in order to turn the collar when the spring is. tov be tensi'onedand when the spring is tensi'onedto receive (Fig. 4).

According to my improvements, the open notch 26 is. defined one sine by a shoulder 31 and; at the oppositesideby a cam portion or edge 82 which is sloped so as. to merge with the end edge of the portion 24, and;

be forced downwardl a locking-pin as this end edge 33 constitutes a guide extension between the cam portion 32 and the corner 34 of the shoulder. Assuming that the hook portion 27 of the spring is engaged in the notch 26 and against the shoulder 31, if the tensioning collar is turned toward the left in Fig. 1, the shoulder will pull the hook portion of the spring in the direction of the spiral winding of the spring and thereby tensionxthe spring. If, on the other hand, the tensioning collar should be turned in a direction counter to the spiral winding of the spring, the cam portion or edge 32 will act on the hook portion so as to force the same out of the notch 26, the said hook portion during the continued counter turning of the collar sliding onto. the guide extension 33. In this wav, on counter turningof the tensioning collar the terminal of the spring will out of the notch, pressing the spiral coi' s together in the direction of the length of the spring. If the tensioning collar is given a complete counter turn, then the inturned terminal Will slip over the corner 34 of the shoulder and snap back into the notch 26, making a sharp clicking noise which will indicate to the workman that he has attempted to tension the spring by winding it in a counter direction. As the result, the workman, having in mind the direction of the turnby which he produced the clicking noise, will know the direction in which the tensioning collar must be turned in order to effect the desired tensioning of the spring. V

With the described construction. of a tensioni'ng collar having a cam aortion, the tendency of the spiral coils to ulgeoutwardly is entirely obviated, and when, due to the turning of the collar through a full turn, the terminal snaps back into the notch, the sharp click will notify the'workman that he has attempted to tension the spring by turning the collar in the wrong direction. The described construction eliminates all danger of distorting the end of the spring; or fracturing the barrel in the operation of tensionin-g the spring. I v

In Fig. 5, it will be observed that the spiral coils of the spring 35 are wound in a direction; reversely to that shown in Fig. 1. For

this type of winding, I provide a tensioning collar :21 having a head portion with the usual pin receiving openings 29, and in: which the end portion 3.6 is provided, with a notch 87 whose opposite sides are reversed in position, that is to say, the cam portion 38 is at the right in Fig. 5 instead of at the left as in Fig. 1. With this reversed form, the cam portionSS performs precisely the same function as the cam portion 32. For instance, referringto the form shown in- Fig. 5, if the tensioni'ng collar is turned to the right, the shoulder 3.9 1 will pull thehook portion of the .spring'to. the right. and thereby tension the spring in the direction of its spiral winding. On the other hand, if the tensioning collaris turned in a counter direction, or to the left in Fig. 5, the hook portion of the spring will be forced downwardly from thenotch to ride on the guide extension 40 until'it snaps over the shoulder and re-enters the notch producing thereby a clicking noise.

In 6, I show a door hinge having a spiral spring which is a duplicate of the spring shown in Fig. l and in which the upper and lower tensioning collars are applied respectively to the upper and lower terlninalsof the spring. These collars are duplicates, but

the lower collar is inverted or turned upside down with respect to the upper collar. In

this case, either one of the tensioning collars may be employed as an anchor in placeof the anchoring body 17 shown in Fig. 1, while the other of the tensioning collars may be employed as the device whereby to tension the spring. With this arrangement, it is immaterial which of the tensioning collars is employed to tension the spring, inasmuch as the result will be the same. Thus, if the upper;

tensioning device provided with a shoulder 31 and a cam portion 32 is turned to the left in the figure, the spring .will be tensioned,

' whereas ifthis tensioning collar is turnedto the right, in the figure, the spring hook por tion 27 will be forced out of the notch without outward distorting of the spiral coils and hence without any fracture of the barrel. If the lower duplicate tensioning device, provided with a shoulder 31 and a cam portion 32 (these corresponding parts being inverted since the collar is inverted and turned 180 with respect to the upper collar), is turned to the right in the figure, then the spiral spring will be tensioning in the proper direction;

whereas if this tensioning collar is turned to the left, the spring hook portion 20 will be forced upwardly out of the notch, thereby avoiding any outward distorting of the spiral coil and hence any fracture of the barrel. Therefore with the arrangement shown in Fig. 6, the spring can. be tensioned from the upper end by turning the upper tensioning collar, or it can be tensioned from its lower ed by turning the lower. tensioning collar;

and the turning of either of these collars in a direction counter to the spiral winding of the spring will not result in any damage tothe barrel, but will result in notifying the workman that he has attempted to tension the spring by turning the particular collar in the wrong direction. i

It will be obvious that the invention is capable of embodiment in many difi'erent constructions and environments. It has been sought herein to illustrate such embodiments as will suffice to exhibit the character of the invention.

My invention has beenillustrated and described herein in connection with a single acting spring hinge, 'but it willbeevident 7 that in practice the invention, may be used with; equal advantage and effect in connection with double acting spring hinges.

. capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as comewithinqthe scope of the ap-. pended claims. 7

I Claim:. 1 1. spring hinge having a spiral spring, one hook portion of which is anchored, 'a tensioning collar with whichthe second hook portion of the spring has pulling engagement whereby to tension the-spring on move ment of the collar in the direction of the spiral winding of the spring, and means for forcing the second hook portion out of pulling engagement with the collar on movement of the collar in a direction counter to the directiongof the spiral winding of thespring. 2. A spring hinge having a spiralspring, one hook portion of whichis anchored, a tensioning collar with which thesecond hook portion of the spring has pulling engagement whereby to tension the springon movement of the collar in the direction of the spiral winding of the spring,-and.rneans. for forcing the second hook portion outof pulling engagement with the collar onmovementof the collar in a direction counter to the direction of the spiral winding of the spring, said means consisting of a'carn portion on the collar for engaging the second hook portion and forcing theflspring under constraint lengthwise between the two terminals.

3. A spring hinge having a spiral winding spring, one terminal ofwhich is anchored, a

tensioning collar for the spring provided] one hook portion of which'is anchored, a

tensioning collar provided with a notch with whichthe second hook portion of the-spring has pulling engagement whereby to tension vthe spring on turning: movement of the col-" lar in the direction ofthe spiral windingof the spring, a cam edge provided on the collarforforcing the second hook portion out of pulling engagement with the notch on turningmovement of-the collar in a counter direction, and a'guide extension between the cam edge and notch to re-deliver the second hook portion into pulling engagement with the notch when the collar is given a full counter turn.

5. A spring hinge comprising, in combina tion, a'barrel, a hinge pin therein," a spiral spring surrounding the pin and encased in the barrel and having an anchored hook portion, a turnable tensioning device for the spring, provided with a notch and a cam edge, one side wall of said notch being adapted to afford and maintain an engagement with the second hook portion for tensioning 15 the spring when the device is turned in one direction, and said cam edge being adapted to press the second hook portion out of engagelnent with said notch when the device is turned in a counterdirection.

2O 6. In tensioning means for a spiral spring,

said tensioning means comprising a rotatabIe body having in one side thereof an open notch defined by a shoulder and a cam edge, saidnotch adapted to receive therein the hook portion of a spring to be tensioned, said shoulder being engageable' with the hook portion for tensioning the spring when the body is turned in the direction of the spiral Winding oi the spring, and said cam edge 30 being adapted, on counter turning of the body, to force the hook portion flOIllihe notch and press together the spiral coils of the spring in the direction of the length of the spring;

17 7. A spring hinge comprising, in combination, a barrel, a hinge pin therein, a spiral spring surrounding the pin and encased in the barrel, tensioning collars for the opposite hook portions of the spring, rotatably mounted on the pin at the opposite ends of the barrel, said collars being notched to receive the hookportions so that either of the collars will serve as an anchor for the spring .during' the turning of the other collar, said notches being defined by shoulders and cam edges, said shoulders and cam edges of the respee'tivecolla rs being reversed as to position, the shoulder of each collar being. adapted to constitute an abutment for the corresponding hook portion for tensioning the spring when the collar .is turned in one direction while the cam' edge of each collar is adapted to force the corresponding hook portion from its notch when the collar is turned in a counter direction, whereby to press the. spirallcoils ot the spring together in the direction oi the length ot the spring and: thereby prevent outward bulging of the coils under forceful. pressure: and hence to avoid iiractu're of the encasing. barrel.

Intestimony that} ciainr the foregoing as my invention, I have: signed my name hereto 7 0e GUSTAV BQMMER- 

